BMW 230i (B46) oil

[edyvw]

Just to add, official MB designation is: MB-Approval 22x.xx. Not just MB22x.xx.
The way SOPUS is listing it is correct. Their issue is that they always put meets and exceeds, when in reality it is approved. Most punctual are Mobil1 and Motul. Motul will give you brief explanation what each approval is.

 

[kschachn]

Not doubting you, but they sure are bad with wording. They refer to dexos license, MB approval and just "BMW LL-04"

View attachment 214459

Because that's how Mercedes-Benz approvals are supposed to be worded. BMW does not have specific wording as part of the approval.

 

[bigjl]

LL04 was EU thing since 2009 (+Switzerland etc.). Most of the world used LL01 as sulphur is generally much higher.

LL04 hit the market in 2004

 

[bigjl]

What about this? LL04, SP. Looks like the same oil on Castrol UK site.

https://www.amazon.com/Castrol-5W-3...&keywords=Castrol+0W30&qid=1710865220&sr=8-16

The packaging is not like the UK Castrol oils

Castrol markets a couple of oils that meet LL04, one has LL where that oil has K, I think the other has an M.

I would have to double check as they are both in my local Costco.

 

[edyvw]

LL04 hit the market in 2004

Yes, for diesels, not for gasoline.

 

[bigjl]

Yes, for diesels, not for gasoline.

Maybe in the US

In the UK there is no such thing as Petrol oil or Diesel oil.

The spec is the spec, BMW adopted LL04 not own for diesel and one for petrol.

I think some people don’t realise oil specs are not chosen by Politicians outside the USA

Hence why US market BMW handbooks don’t list all the oils that an engine is specced for in Europe.

 

[edyvw]

Maybe in the US

In the UK there is no such thing as Petrol oil or Diesel oil.

The spec is the spec, BMW adopted LL04 not own for diesel and one for petrol.

I think some people don’t realise oil specs are not chosen by Politicians outside the USA

Hence why US market BMW handbooks don’t list all the oils that an engine is specced for in Europe.

LL04 ONLY when in 2009 EU went with ULSG! Hence BMW recommending LL04 in EU+some countries since 2009 in petrol engines too.

Directive 2003/17/EC (CEN standard 590:2009): From 01/01/2009 Petrol must have up to 10.10ppm sulfur limit. Up until 2009 from01/01/2005, directive 98/70/EC, CEN standard 228:2004 and 590:2004, 50ppm.

BMW recommended LL04 in EU+ some countries (Switzerland etc) in ALL engines from 2009 once fuel was ULSG. From 2004 until 2009, LL04 was ONLY used in diesel engines.

Politicians CHOOSE the quality of your petrol. What they decide drives how much you pay, and their probability of reelection.

 

[chris719]

Maybe in the US

In the UK there is no such thing as Petrol oil or Diesel oil.

The spec is the spec, BMW adopted LL04 not own for diesel and one for petrol.

I think some people don’t realise oil specs are not chosen by Politicians outside the USA

Hence why US market BMW handbooks don’t list all the oils that an engine is specced for in Europe.

It is not really complicated. LL04 is based on ACEA C3 oils which were developed with the primary goal being exhaust particulate filter compatibility. This was implicitly diesel at the start since GPF/OPF did not become mainstream until recently in petrol engines.

 

[bigjl]

LL04 ONLY when in 2009 EU went with ULSG! Hence BMW recommending LL04 in EU+some countries since 2009 in petrol engines too.

Directive 2003/17/EC (CEN standard 590:2009): From 01/01/2009 Petrol must have up to 10.10ppm sulfur limit. Up until 2009 from01/01/2005, directive 98/70/EC, CEN standard 228:2004 and 590:2004, 50ppm.

BMW recommended LL04 in EU+ some countries (Switzerland etc) in ALL engines from 2009 once fuel was ULSG. From 2004 until 2009, LL04 was ONLY used in diesel engines.

Politicians CHOOSE the quality of your petrol. What they decide drives how much you pay, and their probability of reelection.

Forgot you live in the EU

 

[edyvw]

Forgot you live in the EU

yes, when you moved to EU, I bet you got certificate about BMW oil recommendations and degree in ZF transmission development.

 

[GJM120]

Follow up:
I decided to go with Mobil 1 ESP 5W30. It has LL04 which gave me some comfort as all the oils recommended in US, UK and German manuals led to a low/mid SAPs. Also liked the MB 229.52 since I've read on here that it is one of the better oils for LSPI prevention.

Don't know when I'll get around to doing the change. Less than 1,000 miles on the current oil so I'll probably just dump and refill and leave the filter alone.

 

[edyvw]

Follow up:
I decided to go with Mobil 1 ESP 5W30. It has LL04 which gave me some comfort as all the oils recommended in US, UK and German manuals led to a low/mid SAPs. Also liked the MB 229.52 since I've read on here that it is one of the better oils for LSPI prevention.

Don't know when I'll get around to doing the change. Less than 1,000 miles on the current oil so I'll probably just dump and refill and leave the filter alone.

Excellent choice!

 

[RAVL]

I recently bought a 2021 BMW 230i. Car has full wtty for abt a year and CPO after that. Just before my purchase the dealer did an oil change and they used 0W-20.

I'd feel much better if they had used 0W-30. I would never wait the full OCI but wondering if I should change it really soon? I don't want to do anything to compromise the warranty, but not keen on having a 0W-20 in there. I don't know the HTHS of the oil, but the KV100 of Castrol LL17FE+0W-20 is 8.18.

Car is MT if that makes a difference.

Thanks

In my experience, BMW dealers are very good about only using the correct specification products, and I am sure they used an appropriate oil, particularly given the fact that this is a current model. I think this is a case of over-thinking things, respectfully.

Congrats on getting a 230i with a stick. Terrific car. Use it in good health.

 

[GJM120]

In my experience, BMW dealers are very good about only using the correct specification products, and I am sure they used an appropriate oil, particularly given the fact that this is a current model. I think this is a case of over-thinking things, respectfully.

Congrats on getting a 230i with a stick. Terrific car. Use it in good health.

Overthinking this? Can't argue with that.
I'm sure the dealer used the appropriate oil but I think there is too much emphasis on fuel economy compared to long term wear. I drive so little I'm not worried about the cost or carbon footprint of a small change in fuel efficiency.

 

[bigjl]

It is not really complicated. LL04 is based on ACEA C3 oils which were developed with the primary goal being exhaust particulate filter compatibility. This was implicitly diesel at the start since GPF/OPF did not become mainstream until recently in petrol engines.

Pre GPF and post GPF petrols are still specced for LL04

Define recently though?

Do you think 5/6years is recently?

As that’s how long Mercedes and BNW have been fitting GPFs to their high end models, S Class W222 had GPF in late 2017 for example.
DPF with AdBlue was on loads of diesels before it was made Mandatory in Sep 2015.

Mercedes and BMW where often the early adopters, usually in their high end models fitted with the 6 cylinder diesels, from as early as late 2013, and the Vito Tourer and similar V Class from early 2015 for example which only had a 2.1 four cylinder diesel, strangely in every other application you could buy Euro 5 with the 2.1 right up till the deadline.

 

[GJM120]

Resurrecting this thread rather than hijacking another one - it seems that of M1 ESP 0w30 and ESP 5W30, the 0W30 is considered 'better'. Here's is one recent thread on the subject: Mobil 1 ESP 5w-30 or Mobil 1 ESP 0w-30 | 3.5 EcoBoost in the PCMO subforum.

I went with the 5W30 on my first oil change on my dollar, and actually bought the 5W30 for the next o/c. I'll definitely be changing on time not mileage given how little the car has recently been driven.

Should I care? Why doesn't the 0W30 have any BMW approals?

 

[edyvw]

Resurrecting this thread rather than hijacking another one - it seems that of M1 ESP 0w30 and ESP 5W30, the 0W30 is considered 'better'. Here's is one recent thread on the subject: Mobil 1 ESP 5w-30 or Mobil 1 ESP 0w-30 | 3.5 EcoBoost in the PCMO subforum.

I went with the 5W30 on my first oil change on my dollar, and actually bought the 5W30 for the next o/c. I'll definitely be changing on time not mileage given how little the car has recently been driven.

Should I care? Why doesn't the 0W30 have any BMW approals?

You should not care.
0W30 has some esters. It has a bit higher initial oxidation, which is not in line with very stringent BMW oxidation requirements. That matters only if you do OCI, that is some 15-20k. But, you won't be doing that.

 

[GJM120]

I hoped I get such a response. Thanks.

 

[Tommy the Greek]

In Canada we have two Castrol euro 0w30 oils. Which do I pick for my ‘18 BMW 330i?
CastrolEdge Euro a3/b4 0w30 or Castroledge Euro LL 0w30?
Currently I’m running Liqui Moly top tec 6600 0w20 and wanting to go to a 0w30 oil but can’t justify it’s price. Is LM worth the extra $$?

 

[MCompact]

What ancient pack? What are you talking about? Edge had revision last year. LL01 is as current as of 2022.

The car won't get tracked or even driven too hard so I'll probably do a change in around 4,000 miles and use the 0W30 Castrol Edge. I'm driving so little, might hit the 1 year mark first.

Does anyone have an idea of the HTHS of the 0W20?

You would probably be okay changing the oil at 10k miles or 1 year. But it’s your car and your comfort level.